


Second Door

by kassobo



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Everyone Needs Therapy, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Slow Burn, Starts Calm, Won't stay that way, inevitable angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:20:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28108452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kassobo/pseuds/kassobo
Summary: Students at the Akkala Institute are looking for many things. Link is desperate to maintain the status quo. Zelda is desperate to find where she belongs. A boy hanging by a thread, and a girl determined to do things her own way. When their paths unexpectedly cross at the start of their third year, they learn just how deceptive appearances can be, and that calamity is subjective. As secrets start to climb to the surface, can two people who are their own worst enemy rise to the challenge?
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 14





	Second Door

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to my first work on AO3, although I hope you won't hold that against me. It's been a long time since I wrote for myself but after a little encouragement from the author of OnlyFandom, AnxiousAndAfraid, I decided to shake off the rust and get this idea I'd had in my head out into the world. I hope you'll bear with me on this journey through a modern day Hyrule. The Mature rating is mostly related to some themes I plan to address down the road in regards to mental health, which I will make sure to provide appropriate content warnings for in the beginning notes of the relevant chapters. Story tags will also be updated as necessary.
> 
> CW: Brief descriptions of panic attacks

It was just before dawn, and Link was awake, despite his wishes. Staring at the ceiling he listened as the first birds began to call out. He frequently found himself wondering what they were saying, if anything at all. Underneath their melodies, he focused his hearing until he could hear his favorite sound of these entirely too early mornings. Since the rest of the area was still asleep, on quiet days the sound of the waves from the bay drifted through the cracked window.

Explaining why he found the sounds of the waves so calming was an exercise in futility. He simply loved the sea for as long as he could remember, and at this point in his life the reasons didn’t really matter. As he listened to the gentle chaos of the waves crashing against the nearby cliffs, he thought about the shabby sketchbook by his bedside. He didn’t remember a dream the previous night, maybe he hadn’t been asleep long enough to have one. Maybe it wasn’t worth remembering. The book was a gift from his therapist, Link wasn’t the best with words so he’d taken up drawing to explain things when he needed to, dreams frequently being his muse. It took a bit of time for him to get into the right rhythm, even with his therapist telling him there wasn’t a right or wrong answer. Most of the sketches and drawings he came up with seemed nonsensical, but she seemed to think they were important enough to keep copies of, so, that was nice?

With a sigh he dragged himself out of bed to begin his day. It was the beginning of his third year at the Akkala Institute, not that his routine was any different, he woke up just as early on days where he didn’t have anything important planned. He showered, ate breakfast, and made sure there was plenty of water and food out for his cat, wherever she was currently hiding. The only real change with starting classes is that his friends wouldn’t need to contrive reasons to show up at his door and drag him out into the world when he would rather just stay inside. As if sensing that he’d thought about one of them, his phone buzzed to life. He took a moment to mentally place a stakeless bet with himself on who it was this early in the morning.

Impa: Hey. Bring me coffee

_ Called it. _

Link: So demanding

Link: What kind

Impa: It’s part of my charm, and whatever will give me the energy to get through today

Link: Got it. See you soon

Impa: Thanks, lunch is on me today

Despite her curt texting habits, Link got along well with Impa. He also understood just how much caffeine she would need since it was the first day the both of them would be working directly for the person most responsible for the two of them getting into this school, Impa’s older sister, Purah. They both loved her, she was a genius and a loving, supportive mentor to both of them. She was also just...a lot. Especially first thing in the morning.

Heading out the door for the day his eye caught one of his drawings. It was one of the few he liked enough to display, a sketch of one of the few dreams he’d had on multiple occasions. Looking at it, he still had no idea what it really meant, but it always left him with the feeling that something about it was incomplete. It depicted a beach he couldn’t name, the sun just beginning to creep above the sea as a gull drifted idly in the sky. In the sand, a fallen log just out of the tide’s reach, cradling a single hibiscus flower. It had been a while since that dream had visited him.

* * *

The walk to campus was long, not that Link cared all that much. He preferred it to getting a ride from his neighbor Urbosa, not that he didn’t enjoy her company. He simply enjoyed the solitude, something she understood, so long as the weather wasn’t hazardous to his health. “Best friend” didn’t really seem to do justice to his relationship with Urbosa. She had looked out for him as long as he could remember, and it would be fair to say she knew more about him than he knew about himself. When he’d applied to attend Akkala after high school, naturally she did as well, and fortunately both of them had gotten in, not that he was worried about it in her case. He was glad to have her living next door to him, it was his first time living on his own, and that little bit of separation was just enough to provide him with a sense of security and independence.

Headphones in, he let his mind idle as he walked, admiring the seemingly perpetual fall colors of the trees in the Akkala region. It wasn’t long before his phone interjected once again, this time he didn’t need to guess who it would be.

Riju: SAV’OTTAAAAA

Riju: How are you??

Link: Morning, same as always. You?

Riju: Tiiiiiired -___-

Link: Let me guess. You put off all your homework until the night before again?

Riju: pffffft. No! 

Riju: …...I’m finishing the rest of it now

He couldn’t help but smile as he shook his head. In all the time he’d known her he didn’t think she’d ever started an assignment more than 24 hours before it was due unless she absolutely had to, and yet as she was always quick to point out, she “still got an A, so it’s fine.”

Link: You know you won’t be able to do that in college right

Riju: Duh. Because I know you’ll just nag me about it 

Link: Isn’t that what friends are for?

Riju: :P

Riju: Anyway… everything ok?

_ A loaded question. I guess it’s almost that time of year. _

Link: I suppose. Why?

Riju: Just checking. You know how I am

Link: I know, I appreciate it

Riju: Ok gotta run, need to finish this before class starts. I’ll text you later

Link: Sounds good, have a good day

Riju: You too!! <3

The only thing more reliable than his internal alarm clock was the morning text from one of his closest friends, Riju. Despite being a few years younger than him and still in high school, she was the one person he always relied on and confided in whenever he needed, something that went both ways. The young Gerudo was headstrong and could see right through him, a potent combination that meant he couldn’t hide anything from her if he tried. She was always worried about him, and insisted on texting him everyday, although he was never sure if it was for his benefit or her own. A simple action to serve as a constant reassurance to both of them that the other was still there. He frequently found himself wondering if this is what it was like to have a sibling. Albeit a sibling that lived on the other side of the continent.

Link wondered if this morning routine would be changing soon. Riju’s school schedule had always confused him, he didn’t understand how she always seemed to have so much work to do, even with her procrastination. Recently she’d finally admitted she had been taking extra classes to graduate early. Her intention being to begin school in Akkala as soon as possible. Link knew there was no point trying to argue with her, because as she pointed out: “I’ve made up my mind, this is what I want to do. I want to be closer to you and Urbosa.” He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to being reunited with his friend, despite his own feelings of guilt that he had played a part in her recent stresses.

With the inside knowledge of a third year student that hated crowds, Link stepped into the quiet coffee shop of the music building to get the necessary fuel to keep up with the high energy Purah. “Two large black coffees, two shots of espresso each.” Link thought back to the number of emails Purah had sent this week to the two of them, “Actually make it four.” He hoped that would be enough.

“I see you’ve remembered my advice!” Link barely had time to react before he felt himself enveloped in the feathery embrace of his only other friend. “Good morning Kass.” Link had met Kass not long after coming here, the towering Rito immediately spotted Link’s distress at being in the overwhelming environment of a large university. He had immediately sauntered up to Link at orientation and cast a knowing look over the timid Hylian, before clapping his hand around the boy’s shoulder, “Ahh a new student I presume. Very well, allow me to take you under my wing!” It was the corniest joke Link had ever heard. It was also the first time he’d truly laughed after arriving at the Akkala Institute.

He couldn’t help but smirk thinking about that first joke, as he once again found himself under his wing, “Good morning Kass.” Kass looked over the drinks being prepared, “You know if you drink that you might be able to fly better than I do, my friend.” A pensive look crossed his face, “Ah that’s right you start working with Purah today don’t you?” The barista cast a concerned look to Link at the mention of Purah, before quietly adding an additional shot to each drink without charging for either. Link quietly nodded in appreciation as the barista gave him a look that screamed, “Good luck.” Even here, Purah’s reputation preceded her. Kass followed Link as he took a shortcut through the building to avoid the rush of students outside. The two chatted as they walked, Link chuckling at Kass’s grandiose tales of his summer travels and random public performances. Laughs came easy when Kass was around, something Link always appreciated. They had become friends almost immediately after their random introduction, with Kass showing Link all the best places to go that were out of the way of the campus crowds, such as the music building’s coffee shop. Kass had shown him every one of his favorite places on campus, and it had been a few weeks before Link finally realized that Kass was a fellow freshman and was just making up all his advice as he went along. He was bold, adventurous, and like the entire motley crew of friends Link found himself in, fiercely loyal. Link truly admired him.

Soon enough they’d said their goodbyes and Link continued on to his destination, Purah’s lab. Impa was already waiting for him outside, apparently unwilling to face her sister alone. It was the first time they’d seen each other in a few months, having only returned from Kakariko the day before. She gave her drink a skeptical look after Link explained what he’d handed her.

“I’ll either make it through the day or have a heart attack from this stuff.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“You could have at least brought me some sugar.”

“I could have brought you water.”

She threw her arm around his neck as they walked inside, playfully bumping her head into his.

“I missed you, Link.”

“I missed you, Impa.”

* * *

“IMPAAAAAA! LINKYYYYY! Get excited! Because my adorable little sister, my favorite Hylian, and I, the beautiful genius director of this fine institution are together as an unstoppable team! SNAP!”

Five shots wasn’t enough.

Link and Impa, in unison, gave their best effort at an enthusiastic snap in time with Purah. He didn’t understand why she had to say “Snap” every time she snapped her fingers, and any time he asked he just ended up more confused than before so he’d just learned to accept it as one of Purah’s many, many quirks. Just as quickly as she’d arrived she shifted gears into business mode, shuffling Impa off to make sure Robbie had properly prepared for classes and wasn’t lost in some new robotic experiment before turning her attention to Link. “Good morning Purah. What do you have for me today?” She mussed his hair with a giggle as she strolled past him to her desk to pick up a folder that she immediately thrust into his hands. He flipped through it, seeing it was full of notes on previous lectures, as well as primers on what was to come the rest of the semester. 

“What’s this?” 

“A new student is transferring into the advanced course, I need you to go over the info in there and make sure there’s nothing missing.” 

“You actually let someone skip the pre-reqs?” 

She waved off his words and shrugged heading towards the door, “Ehh, it’s a long story. Consider it an experiment. Just make sure everything in there is correct, Linky. Oh! One more thing,” she paused half-way out the door before turning back to him, “I’ve rearranged some of the course materials, so starting today you’ll have a lab partner, ok? You’re the best, bye!” 

With that, she was gone before he had a chance to choke out a single syllable in protest.  _ Great _ . He thought, making his way to his desk, and flipping through the notes. Purah had tried assigning him partners in her classes in his first year, none of them ever stuck though. Finally she’d decided to just let him work independently after he proved he could keep up with the workload. It didn’t take him long to figure out after looking over some of the notes she’d left that his new partner was likely this mysterious new student. A suspicion that Purah confirmed after her return.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Of course, this is great! You even added some of your own notes I see,” Purah mumbled as she flipped through the packet, deftly dodging his actual question.

“Purah.”

She sighed, closing the folder and turning to him with a serious look and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Link. It’ll be fine. Just do your best and answer any questions she has. If you put in the same effort you do in class with your regular work, it’ll work out just fine. Besides, I added a group project so you needed a partner. And, well...”

“You knew no one else would partner with me?”

“That’s not what I meant. A fresh face might be good for you. Plus, I wouldn’t have let her in if I didn’t think she could hack it.”

He knew a losing battle when he saw one. “Ok.”

Even though they were both working for Purah, he didn’t take any classes with Impa. A fact he was never more keenly aware of than right now as he waited for his mystery partner to show up before his first class of the day. Soon, the other students began filtering into the classroom, exchanging greetings with each other as they took seats far away from him. Since it was the third year, all of the students knew each other, having taken all the same classes together for two years now. They also knew him. He paid them no attention, returning their own avoidance in kind. Instead he sat, trying to take his mind off of this unexpected development by writing in the journal he always carried. It had been a gift from Urbosa, and was his most treasured possession, so much so that rather than replace it when he filled it, he learned how to bind books solely to put in fresh pages. It made him feel like he was talking to her, something he knew he would definitely need to do today.

Just as he was beginning to think maybe she wasn’t going to show, someone quietly sat down next to him. Everyone else seemed to notice too as the monotonous tones of friendly chatter died down into hushed whispers, most of them questions revolving around her identity and the reason she chose to sit next to  _ him. _ “Excuse me. Are you Link?” Turning to acknowledge her, he tried to ignore the onlookers.

“Purah said you’d have some notes for me?”

“Oh, right,” he slid the folder across the table to her, “If you have any questions, let me know.”

She nodded politely, taking the folder to begin looking through the material. He watched briefly as she tucked some stray strands of her long blonde hair behind her ear as she read, before returning his attention to his writing. She was Hylian, like him, but what stuck with him was her brilliant green eyes, that somehow reminded him of the forests back in Faron. Everyone else in class had seemingly lost interest as they fell back into their previous chattering until Purah brought them all swiftly to attention.

Despite her unorthodox personality, Purah was an unparalleled genius in Sheikah research and technology. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and was what propelled Link onto his path to study Sheikah engineering. It didn’t hurt that Purah had helped him get through the last few years of high school as well as the Akkala entrance exam, all the while maintaining her duties as the Institute’s Director. She’d even found time to foster his friendship with Impa. He was looking forward to this year, learning more from her, and working for her to pay back the kindness she’d shown him over the years.

As the energetic Director began to breeze through class, laying the groundwork for the coming semester, Link glanced over to his new partner. He was concerned that she hadn’t asked anything yet, as it usually took a while for someone to learn how to interpret Purah’s chaotic thoughts. To his surprise she seemed to be calmly listening, diligently making notes without any sign of distress.  _ Maybe this won’t be so bad _ , he thought to himself,  _ besides it’s only one class. _

To Link’s disappointment, it was not just one class. She remained at his table as Purah’s Ancient Technology class ended, and Robbie’s Sheikah Robotics course took over. Impa accompanied him as his assistant, shooting Link a questioning look when she noticed the blonde girl sitting next to him. He could only manage a resigned shrug in response. Link was even more perplexed when he arrived at a different classroom for Symin’s lecture on Hyrulean Biodiversity, only to discover the mystery girl not only already seated, but next to his assigned seat. In both classes she seemed to not even notice his presence, even as he couldn’t help but notice her. She hadn’t spoken since their first interaction, and didn’t seem to be having any trouble picking up on the material. Then, at the end of class she quietly gathered her things and left without a word. Something about all this didn’t make sense to him, so he did the only thing he could think of.

Link: Free for Lunch?

Impa: Y e s please

Impa: btw what’s up with that girl in Robbie’s class?

Link: Long story. Mind if I invite Urbosa to join us?

Impa: Not at all. Usual place?

Link: Works for me

Impa: Cool. Heading there now

After a quick exchange with Urbosa to confirm she was free, he was on his way to try to make some sense of whatever was happening today.  _ So much for a normal day. _

* * *

It didn’t take long for Link to convene at his usual lunch spot with Impa, a small cafe off the beaten path that most students never visited.

“So what’s the deal with that girl in Robbie’s class? I’ve never seen her before.”

“New student I guess. And it’s not just in Robbie’s class. She was in Purah and Symin’s too.”

“Huh. I asked Robbie about her but he just said she was new.”

Link thought to himself, arriving at the only conclusion that made sense.

“Purah had me go over some notes for her this morning. She must be up to something.”

“When is she not?” answered a voice from behind him. Link turned to see Urbosa arrive just as she swung into the sit next to him. “So what’s your sister up to now?”

Impa gave a wave and a smile to her friend, “She approved a transfer student into her department, and this person is apparently stalking Link.”

“Oh?” Urbosa turned a curious eye to Link, eyebrow cocked as she took in his demeanor. Urbosa towered over Link, literally and metaphorically. Riju could see through Link, Urbosa didn’t have to, he went to her with everything. He trusted Urbosa above anyone else, and usually turned to her when something unsettled him. Something like Purah scheming to pair him up with this stranger in class. She listened patiently as he related everything about his morning.

“You sure you’re not imagining things?”

“No, Symin insists on assigned seating. It had to be intentional.”

He furrowed his brow, absentmindedly spinning a ring on his finger that Urbosa had given him for moments like this when he felt anxious. Purah was up to something. He knew it. But he just couldn’t figure out what it was, and he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her since this morning.

Urbosa leaned back in her chair, “Hmm, so what do you know about this person? What’s her name?” 

“It’s…” He thought back to this morning to their conversation, all three sentences of it.

“I forgot to ask.”

Impa and Urbosa couldn’t help but let out a quick laugh. Of course he’d forgotten. Urbosa leaned back in, her chin resting on her hand. Her gaze compelling him to actually make eye contact.

“I think that’s where you should start. Maybe she knows Purah’s angle. Sounds to me like she’s the quiet type too. I know you’re worried about this, but try to breathe and take it one step at a time. Just try to get to know her.”

“That’s usually where it goes wrong.”

“Link.” Impa and Urbosa sternly spoke his name in unison, as if it was a practiced routine. They knew where that train of thought was going and derailed it immediately. He struggled dealing with new people, Kass being the only friend he’d made since starting college. His classes were full of people that had been assigned to work with him, in inevitably short lived partnerships. Despite the admonition of his friends, he didn’t really see this going any other way. What worried him the most was Purah’s warning that he  _ needed _ a partner this semester. If this didn’t work out, what would that mean for him?

“Link. Breathe.”

Without realizing, he’d begun to spiral into panic. Urbosa’s voice cutting through that creeping dread as he felt her grip his hand, her other around his shoulder. Her forehead resting on his temple she again urged him to breathe as he felt the clouds in his mind begin to dissipate. He glanced to Impa, who had taken his other hand. While she greeted him with a warm smile to comfort him, he could see the worry in her eyes. While he’d gotten better over the last few years, sometimes his emotions simply got the best of him. While he knew they’d dealt with far worse incidents from him, he felt the guilt flare up at just how automatic their response was.

“Sorry,” was all he could meekly offer. Looking away to avoid the “ _ Don’t apologize” _ glare. Fortunately, it seemed no one in the sparse lunch crowd had noticed his brief flirtation with a meltdown. Another reason he tried to stick to these out of the way places on campus. Seeing he really was starting to calm back down, Urbosa pulled back, keeping a grip on his hand. It was Impa who spoke up first.

“Your only other class today is Purah’s lab right, and the new person will be there I assume? I’m assisting in that one. I won’t be directly with you, but I’ll be there, ok?” She paused slightly, allowing him to nod in confirmation before continuing, “If you want me to, I’ll talk to her before class. You know she wouldn’t do anything to intentionally upset you, right?” 

Impa was right, he knew whatever Purah’s plan, distressing him wasn’t her intention. He nodded, “If it’s not too much trouble—”

“It’s not. And Urbosa is right, try talking to this person. One step at a time. I won’t be far away, ok?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I’m going to track down my annoying sister to prep for this class. Are you good?” She gave his hand another squeeze, as he nodded, and gathered her things before leaving Link with Urbosa.

He sat there as she carefully watched him, still holding on to his hand as if to keep him tethered to the ground in case his mind decided to try carrying him away again. “So, what are you going to do?” her soothing voice driving away the last dregs of his panic attack. 

“Talk to her. One step at a time.”

“Good. And if she really is just a stalker, let me know, and I’ll deal with her.” 

Urbosa’s booming laughter was the first thing to bring a smile to Link’s face since his meeting with Purah this morning. He hoped it would be as easy as they seemed to think.

* * *

Link arrived at the lab early, hoping to talk to Purah and Impa before anyone else arrived. To his dismay, not only were neither of them there, but several other students were already seated, including the one he’d hoped to avoid. Resigned to his fate, he made his way towards the table they’d be sharing. As he approached she looked up from the book she’d been reading, her verdant eyes meeting him with a look he couldn’t quite decipher. He timidly waved and offered a half hearted smile before she blinked with recognition and returned the gesture. Link made his way around her to his seat as she returned to her book. He wondered if that counted as taking enough steps for one day, but could already feel the disapproving glares from his friends boring into his soul. Checking the clock he could see there was still about 20 minutes until class was supposed to start, and there was still no sign of Purah. So he summoned all the courage he could muster and turned towards her, saying the only thing he could come up with.

“Um…”

_ Nailed it. _

She seemed surprised to hear him speak, eyes slightly widened as if he’d blinked into existence next to her despite his attempted greeting moments before. He scratched at his shoulder, looking away, furrowing his brow as he tried to think of what to say next. For her part, she seemed content to let him take his time, eyebrows raising in an encouraging gesture as she leaned to the side, trying to meet his eyeline again. The best he could manage was to look at her out of the corner of his eyes, briefly glancing around to see if anyone was listening in, though it seemed they were doing their usual best effort to ignore him. Finally his brain rattled together an idea, not a very good one, but the best he had in this moment.

“I’m Link,” he mumbled, offering his hand as he continued to look at her with his face slightly averted, as if preparing for the inevitable need to back away quickly. She regarded him with a gentle bemusement, which gave way to curious amusement as a breathy laugh escaped her lips. Suddenly embarrassed, Link started to pull his hand back, only for her to quickly snatch it in her own, giving him a warm smile.

“I’m Zelda. It’s nice to meet you, Link.”

He nodded, turning back to his own books, before realizing he’d never actually taken them out of his bag, leaving him just staring at the black tabletop in front of him. He could tell she was still looking at him this time, apparently finding him more interesting than her book. He ventured a quick glance to confirm, seeing her there with the same smile, waiting to see what he would do or say next.

“Sorry…”

“For what?”

“I forgot to ask for your name this morning. And I didn’t say anything in the other classes. It was rude.”

She simply shrugged, “It’s ok. I would have been the same way. I’m bad at introductions. I’m looking forward to working with you though.”

He only managed a nod in response. She then returned to her book, whether out of recognition of his obvious discomfort or relief that the conversation was over he couldn’t tell.  _ Surely that will be enough for Urbosa _ , he thought to himself as he pulled out his books. Making sure to note the brief conversation in his journal until finally Purah and Impa arrived. He watched them for any sign of whether they had spoken about him. Purah merely gave him an enthusiastic wave as she set up her materials, Impa taking a seat next to her desk with a clear look of exhaustion.

_ Guess the coffee wasn’t enough for her either. _

He quickly pulled out his phone in the few minutes before class.

Link: Did you talk to her?

Impa: Yeah. Long story, she’ll explain after class.

Impa: Did you talk to her?

Link: A little. She seems alright

Impa: Well that’s good

With that class started, not that Link paid much attention to what was being said. Instead choosing to agonize over whatever Purah was going to tell him. He assumed it couldn’t be too bad, or Impa would be the one doing the talking. As class concluded he noticed how swiftly Zelda gathered her things and seemingly as an afterthought, turned to offer him a silent wave before heading out the door. He waited until everyone else had left before approaching Purah and her clearly irritated sister.

“LINKY! How was your first day?”

“Stressful.” His tone cut through her cheery demeanor, drawing a sigh from the director.

“I’m sorry. I thought it would be easier if you met her without any preconceived ideas. I told you, I’m adding group work this semester. She seemed like a good fit to work with you, that’s all.”

He looked to Impa, she nodded, confirming Purah’s story matched whatever they’d already talked about. He sighed in defeat, “Ok. I promise I’ll give it my best effort.” Purah clapped her hands together, exclaiming her excitement before ushering him and Impa out the door. “I’ll see you both tomorrow morning, sorry for my little prank!” Politely declining Impa’s offer of company, they parted ways and he started the trek home, his eyes on the sidewalk, thoughts full of green eyes and golden hair. 

  
After returning home, Link updated Urbosa and Riju on what had happened. Laying on his bed, he couldn’t help but feel anxiety creeping back into his heart as he thought about the day. A mass of black fur jumped up onto his chest, his feline roommate deciding that now was the time for him to lavish her with attention. He continued to think, absentmindedly scratching her ears as she curled up on his chest, dozing off for what he imagined was the dozenth time that day. He thought about Zelda, and wondered if they would actually get along as well as Purah seemed to think they would. As he drifted off to his own sleep, he felt the tendrils of doubt starting to grip his heart tighter. A thought that he’d been keeping to himself since Purah’s confession, one he hadn’t yet shared with any of his friends. It was a worrying suspicion that he couldn’t shake no matter how much he tried.

Purah was not telling him everything.

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it this far I hope that means you enjoyed this opening chapter. I'm not sure if future chapters will be this long, but there were a number of hooks I wanted to make sure were setup in this chapter. Link puts up a good front, but things aren't so calm under the surface. Fortunately, he has some good friends around him. I'm sure that means nothing bad will happen. Right?
> 
> Like I said at the top, I'm trying to get my sea legs back under me so please feel free to provide feedback. First chapters are a challenge for me, so I hope it came out as consistent as it seemed in my head. Hopefully the next one will be a smoother journey.


End file.
